1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a trailer and more particularly to a slide axle trailer which is able to haul heavy loads without significantly increasing the deck height or load angle of the trailer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many types of trailers have been previously provided for transporting large equipment over-the-road. The equipment is normally loaded onto the trailer from the rearward end thereof. In many cases, the bed of the trailer is tilted to move the rearward end thereof into close proximity to the ground to enable the equipment to be loaded onto the trailer or unloaded from the trailer. The problem associated with a tilting trailer bed is that the angle of the same may be large, thereby making it difficult, if not impossible, for the equipment to be loaded onto the trailer.
In an effort to solve the problems of the prior art, a low angle tilt trailer was designed and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,235, which has been assigned to the assignee of this invention. An improvement of the trailer described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,235 is also owned by the assignee of this invention and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,231. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,235, a trailer is described which represented a significant advance in the field and which included a forward frame section having a rear frame section selectively longitudinally slidably mounted on the forward frame section and which has a wheel assembly mounted at the rearward end thereof. In the device of the '235 patent, the entire rear frame section was moved forwardly to move the rear wheels forwardly to enable the trailer to tilt.
In the trailer of U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,231, the suspension system was slidably mounted on the wheeled frame which was comprised of a pair of longitudinally extending frame members. Except for the tail section of the trailer, the frame members of the trailer of the '231 patent had the same vertical height, same width, and were constructed of the same strength materials for the length thereof. Thus, in the trailer of the '231 patent, the deck height of the trailer was dictated by the height of the frame members. If the trailer of the '231 patent were going to be designed to handle extremely heavy loads, the height of the longitudinally extending frame members would have to be increased which would thereby increase the deck height or load angle of the trailer.